Mission Statement

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The Department of Criminal Justice provides students with the academic preparation necessary for entry-level positions throughout the criminal justice system and related professions. The program addresses the functions and organization of the criminal justice system, integrating critical thinking, decision-making skills and the understanding of different cultures, ethics and social problems into the curriculum. The program also provides the student with the preparation necessary to pursue a baccalaureate degree offered in conjunction with Criminal Justice at a four-year institution of higher education in Texas. The Department of Criminal Justice further endeavors to provide criminal justice professionals with career-enhancing educational experiences.

The department’s support of the college’s mission involves offering courses in a variety of instructional formats and providing core curricula as well as Field of Study curricula integrated throughout both the A.A. and A.A.S. degree plans. The Criminal Justice Department emphasizes and provides students with strong communication and analytical skills by:

• Offering a comprehensive set of general education requirements

• Treatment of the field of Criminal Justice as an applied science where the student learns to integrate theory and practical application

• Enhancing the students understanding of Criminal Justice, its institutions and structures, its problems and promises, and the ways in which the student may contribute to solving those problems and meeting those promises